Lens-grinding machine



Aug. 5 1924. 1,503,497

' A. E. GLANCY I LENS GRINDING MACHINE Filed July 3, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheetl INVENTOR A.ESTELLE GLANCY B y z eewwmm ATTORNEYS Au 5, 1924. r1,503,497

. 4 A. E. GLANCY IJENS GfiINDING MACHINE Filed July 5, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR AZ ESTELLE GLANC ATTQRN EYS spherical,sphere-cylindrical or toric curve (Patented Aug. 5, 1924 ANNA ESTELLEGLAN'CY, or SOUTHBR-IDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 'ro AMERI- tastierearner strict;

CAN OPTICAL COIMPANY, OF SOUTHBRIDG-E, BIASSACHIJ'SE'IITS, A VOLUNTARYAS- SOCIATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

LENS-GRINDING MACHINE.

' Application filed July 3,

Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Lens-Grinding Machines, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to improvementsin lens grinding machines and hasparticular reference to a novel and improved form of machine especiallyadapted for use in the production of ophthalmic lenses;

One of the principal objects of the present'invention is the provisionof a machine adapted for use in the generation of a for a plurality ofophthalmic lenses, as distinguished from the transference method of lenssurfacing more commonlyv employed.

A further obj eot of the present invention is the provision of a noveland improved mechanism which may be adjusted to pro-; duce a pluralityof different curves without change or modification of the tool by whichthe same, are produced 7 Other objects and advantages of the presentinvention should be readily apparent by reference to the followingspecification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and itwill be understood, that I may make any modifications in the specificdetails of construction shown and described Within the scope of theappended claims without departing from or exceeding the spirit of theinvention. 7 I

Figure I represents a view partially in elevation and partially insection of one form for carrying out the generic principles of my,invention. 7 b

Figure II represents a view looking at the machine from the right asshown in Figure I.

Figure 111 represents a sectional View taken as on the line IIIIII ofFigure I.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the main base or frame of thema.

chine, having rising therefrom the standard 2 in which is journaled theshaft 3 driven as by power applied to the pulley i and bearing the discorwheel 5 provided with an outwardly extending flange or rim portion 6designed to bear upon its inner 1922. Serial No. 572,755.

be secured in position as by pitch or other face a plurality of lensblanks 7 whichmay;

suitable adhesive, and are adapted to be consecutively operated upon bythe lens engaging tool 7 which is carried by the spindle 8. This spindle8 is slidably and rota ably supported by the sleeve 9 pivoted as at 10between the arms of the yoke member 11. The yoke member itself is heldand vertically adjusted along a second standard 12 rising from the base,being held in. Vere tically adjusted position asby the screw 13,

while the graduations 1a serve to indicate theposition to which the yokeand associated parts have been shifted. The'yoke is further providedwith the pulley 15 driven as bythe belt 16, and having the slot 17 inits face to engage the adjustable eccentric pin 18 connected by the link19 with. the ear V 20'on the sleeve 9,. whereby rotation of the pulley15 serves to'rock the sleeve 9 and associated parts on the pivots ortrunnions 10.-

In the use ofmy improved machine the wheel 5 is rotated and at the sametime the, The effect of this combined movement is that'asrthe lensesmember 9 oscillated.

are carried. around with the wheelf5 they have formed along their axes21 a curve having as its radius the distance from the center line 22 tothe face of the tool 7, while at the same time they have formed thereona transverse curvealong, the line 23 determined by the distance from thecenter 24 of the trunnion 10 to the surface of the tool, this on accountof the transverse rock- 1 ing movement imparted t the tool through thelink 19. It will thus be seen that using a spherically surfaced tool 7with it and the spindle 8 rotated as bysuitable power applied to thepulley 25, therelwill befgen erated or maintained upon the face of eachlens a toric surface having different curves in the two principalmeridians. If it is desired to make the curve along the, me ridian 23 asharper curve, this is accomplished by turning the adjusting screw 13 tlower the bracket or yoke 11 b-ringing'the center 24 nearer thesurfaceof the lens and thus shortening up the radius, while if it isdesired to increase the length of this radius this. is accomplished byraising of the yoke 11 and in order that the curve maybe maintained asnear accurate as possibleI preferably make use of the adjustable stop 26carried by the sleeve 9 and adapted to engage with the lower surface ofthe pulley 25, this pulley being carried by the collar 27 and capable ofadjustable clamping along the shaft 8 as by'the set or clamp screw 29.

In setting up the machine with a given diameter of wheel 5, such thatits rotation will, for example, produce a 6 diopter curve along the axis21, the yoke is adjusted to position to produce, for example, a 9.25curve as indicated by the graduations let in Figure I, and the pulley 25lowered until it substantially strikes the stop 26 and clamped 'in thisposition.

The stop 26 is then let back just the thickness which it is desired toremove from the surface of the lenses during'the grinding operation, sothat the weightof the spindle 8 and associated parts will carry the tool7 that amount into the lens before the engagement between the pulley andstop will prevent further clownward sliding movement of the spindle 8,and thus cause the termination of the grinding action. If slightadditional grinding is desired the stop 26 may be turned'slightlywithout making an appreciable variation in the dioptric curve producedor a similar adjustment may be made during the polishing operation, butin any eventthe transverse curve is controlled by the verticaladjustment of the member 11 and thus of the axis 24: about which thesleeve 9 and associated parts pivot, while the combined oscillation androtation of the spindle 8 coupled with the rotation of'the shaft 3 andwheel 5 present every part of each of the lenses to the surface of thetool 7 so that the desired curve or combination of curves will beproduced or finished thereon.

The particular advantage of the present invention is its adaptabilityfor use in the production of negative toric: lenses. In the productionof positive toric lenses it has been possible to make use of a looselyheld grinding or polishing tool formed on its concave face, with thecomplement of the curves which it is desired to produce on the lens, andno difficulty is experienced. In attempting however, to use the polisherof this type on concave toric: surfaces held on a rigidwheel such as 6,in the present drawing it has been found that the edge of the tool willtend to catch on the lens and tilt, Wedging it against the rigid lenscausing the lens to be loosened or knocked off the blockor supportingdevice. This diihculty is entirely obviated however with the pres entconstruction making use of the spherically curved rigidly held tool, forthe reason that the tool as will be understood by reference to Figure Istrikes on a line only so that the edges curve up clear to the lens andthere is no liability of the edge of the tool catching against the edgeof the lens and pulling off or spoiling a lens, while at the same timethe true and correct curve is generated in place of the surface of thetool being reproduced as has been customary in the prior forms.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination with arotatable wheel having a flange laterally extending therefrom andadapted to receive a plurality of lenses on its inner periphery, abracket arranged in proximity to the wheel and having a portionextending within the flange portion, a pivoted sleeve carried by thebracket, a rotatable shaft carried by the sleeve, a lens surfacing toolcarried by one end of the rotatable shaft, means to rotate the shaft, apitman connected to the sleeve, and means to drive the pitman whereby tooscillate the sleeve and rotatable shaft therein transversely of theflange, and means to rotate the wheel and flange.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a rotatable wheelhaving a flange carried thereby, said flange being adapted to receive amultiplicity of lenses on its inner periphery thereof, means to rotatethe wheel and flange, a bracket having an arm extending within theflange of the wheel, means to adjust the arm to and from the innerperiphery of the flange,'a sleeve pivotally carried by the inner end of'the arm, a rotatable shaft arranged within the sleeve, means to rotatethe shaft within the sleeve, adjustable means to restrict theadjustmentof the shaft within the sleeve, a surfacing tool carried by one end ofthe shaft, and adapted to contact with the lenses on the inner peripheryof the flange, and link means to oscillate the sleeve andshafttransversely of the flange whereby to generate a curve of apredetermined radius in the transverse axis of the lenses to be ground,and means to drive the link means.

8. A device of the character descr bed, comprising a rotatable wheelhaving a flange adapted to carry a multiplicity of lenses on itsinterior face, the curvature of the flange being of the approximatefinished desired curve of the lenses to be ground, a

bracket arranged in proximity to the wheel and having an arm extendingwithin the flange of the wheel, a pivoted sleeve carried by the arm, arotatable shaft arranged within the sleeve and carrying a surfacing toolat one end thereof adapted to contact with the lenses to be ground,means to adjust the arm on the bracket with respect to the innerperiphery of the flange to determine the radius of curvature to beformedon the lenses, and means associated with the said sleeve tooscillate the sleeve and rotatable shaft to generate a curvature ofpower on the transverse meridian of the lenses.

ANNA ESTELLE .GLAN CY.

